First-time filings for jobless claims fall to 351,000 last week, 4,000 fewer than forecast

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch)
The number of Americans who filed requests for jobless benefits fell by 14,000 last week to 351,000, matching a four-year low, the U.S. Labor Department said Thursday
Claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 365,000 from 362,000
Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had projected claims would fall to a seasonally adjusted 355,000 in the week ended March 10
The average of new claims over the past four weeks, meanwhile, was unchanged at 355,750
Continuing claims decreased by 81,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.34 million in the week ended March 3, the Labor Department said. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag
About 7.42 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended Feb. 25, up 36,392 from the prior week
Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.